title: The environmental characteristics of usage of coal gangue in bricking-making: a case study at Huainan, China.
abstract: The behaviors of natural radionuclides and toxic elements during coal gangue brick making processes are described. A simulation experiment of coal gangue brick firing was carried out to evaluate the enrichments of natural radionuclides and volatilizations of elements. Simultaneous sampling of coal gangue and corresponding combustion product (slag) was performed. The radioactivities of the radionuclide were determined by high-purity germanium gamma ray spectrometer, and the concentrations of toxic elements were analyzed by ICP-MS. Results have shown that the level of natural radionuclides may not cause immediate or acute environmental impacts because the Raeq values and Hex (in the brick) are 345 Bq kg(-1) and 0.89, lower than the limit values of 370 Bq kg(-1) and 1, respectively. However, the Raeq and Hex values are near the limit values, their chronic-environmental and health impacts should be considered noteworthy. The elements found in the emission could be categorized into two types: non-volatilized elements (Co, Cr, Mn and V) and volatilized elements (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Se, Sn and Zn). Understanding the behaviors of natural radionuclides and toxic elements during brick making processes is helpful for the assessment of their potential impacts to human health and the environment.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefe, Anhuii 230026, China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710075, China; State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution and Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; University of Science and Technology of China, City University of Hong Kong Joint Advanced Research Centre, Suzhou, Jiangsu 251006, China.
authors.forename: Chuncai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guijian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shengchun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Paul Kwan Sing
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003031:Coal; D003252:Construction Materials; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014866:Waste Products
keywords: Behavior; Coal gangue brick; Firing process; Natural radionuclide; Toxic element